Agent Behavior

The goal of the Agent Behavior theme is to develop innovative detection, decontamination and inactivation technologies using research on the fundamental behaviors of select chemical or biological agents in food.

Agent Behavior Theme Leader 

Peter Varelis, National Center for Food Safety and Technology – Illinois Institute of Technology

Ongoing Projects

Thermal and Chemical Inactivation of Select Agent Toxins in Liquid Foods

•    Ted Labuza, University of Minnesota
•    Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Minnesota

Validation of Methods for Decontamination of Food Processing Equipment and Facilities Deliberately Contaminated with Bacillus Spores
•    Peter Slade, National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST), Illinois Institute of Technology

Extraction of Bacillus anthracis Spores and Ricin from Liquid Foods and its Potential Utilization for Inline Detection
•    Ted Labuza, University of Minnesota
•    Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Minnesota

Extraction and Concentration of Chemical (Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine) and biological (ricin) toxins using Molecular Imprinted Electrospun Fibers Coupled with Detection at Aptamer Modified Polymer Electrodes
•    Keith Warriner, University of Guelph

Detection and Removal of Select Agents from Complex Food Matrices: Phase II
•    Lee Ann Jaykus, North Carolina State University

Development of biologically modified electrically-active magnetic nanoparticles (nano-BEAMs) for direct capture and concentration of Bacillus anthracis spores and cells in various food matrices
•    Vangie Alocilja, Michigan State University

A Microfluidic Approach for Separation and Concentration of Bacterial Spores from Milk and Juices
•    Suresh Pillai, Texas A&M University
•    Ali Beskok, Old Dominion University

A Simple and Rapid Method for the Simultaneous Purification and Concentration of Nucleic Acids and Proteins from Food Matrices
•    Charles Young, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Development of a Multiplex Bio-barcode DNA Biosensor for Bacillus anthracis Detection Without PCR Amplification
•    Vangie Alocilja, Michigan State University

Capture and Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) in Complex Food Matrices using Novel Biosensor Platforms
•    Eric A. Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Stability of BoNT in Food Matrices
•    Eric A. Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Identification and Characterization of Temperature-Dependent Virulent Genes in Y. pestis, Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. enterocolitica
•    Teshome Yehualaeshet, Tuskegee University

Impact of Select Agents on the Coagulation Properties of Milk Proteins
•    Salam Ibrahim, North Carolina A&T State University

Chemical Inactivation of Protein Toxins on Food-Contact Surfaces
•    Peter Slade, National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST), Illinois Institute of Technology

Completed Projects


Determination of Y. pseudotuberculosis Survival in Milk under Temperature Stress
•    Teshome Yehualaeshet, Tuskegee University

Hydrophobic Extraction of B. anthracis Spores from Liquid Foods
•    Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Minnesota
•    Ted Labuza, University of Minnesota

Electrochemical Biosensors for B. anthracis
•    Vangie Alocilja, Michigan State University

Rapid Testing for Botulinum Toxin using Egg Yolk Antibodies
•    Mark Cook, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Botulinum Neurotoxin Sensing Technologies
•    Eric Johnson, University of Wisconsin–Madison

FASTMAN Integrated Device for Detection of Select Agents
•    Vivek Kapur, University of Minnesota/ANDX

Biosensors for Detection of Chemical Toxins
•    Paul Takhistov, Rutgers University

Bioluminescent Bacteria as Biological Sensors for Toxic Agents in Food
•    Vangie Alocilja, Michigan State University

Bioluminescent Imaging for High Throughput Screening for Bacterial Pathogens and Toxins
•    Mansel Griffiths, University of Guelph

A Systematic Approach for the Detection of Bioterrorism Agents in Complex Sample Matrices
•    Lee-Ann Jaykus, North Carolina State University

Concentrating Bacterial Spores from Milk and Juices using Dielectrophoresis-Based Microfluidic Capture Systems
•    Suresh Pillai, Texas A&M University
•    Ali Beskok, Old Dominion University

Extraction, Concentration, and Detection of Toxins in Solid Food Systems using Molecular Imprinted Polymer Films
•    Keith Warriner, University of Guelph
•    Subrayal Reddy, University of Surrey (UK)

Heat Inactivation Kinetics of Spores in Liquid Milk
•    Ted Labuza, University of Minnesota
•    Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Minnesota

Stability of Ricin and Abrin to Conventional Food Processing Operations and Investigations on Food Contact Surface Decontamination Methods
•    Peter Varelis, National Center for Food Safety and Technology–Illinois Institute of Technology

Fate of Toxins in At-Risk Foods
•    Ramona Parra, New Mexico State University

Use of Commercial Household Sanitizers to Inactivate Spores
•    Michael Davidson, University of Tennessee–Knoxville

Inactivation of Microbial Agents with High Concentrations of Industrial Sanitizers
•    Katie Swanson, Ecolab Inc.
•    Bruce Cords, Ecolab Inc.

Containment and Remediation System
•    Susan Harlander, BT Safety LLC

Plasma Technology to Decontaminate Surfaces
•    Amy Wong, University of Wisconsin–Madison
•    Ferencz Denes, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Evaluation of Methods for Decontamination of Food Processing Equipment and Facilities Deliberately Contaminated with Bacillus Spores
•    Martin Cole, National Center for Food Safety and Technology–Illinois Institute of Technology
•    Peter Slade, National Center for Food Safety and Technology–Illinois Institute of Technology

Toxin/Pathogen Inactivation and Disposal of Intentionally Contaminated Foods
•    Craig Benson, University of Wisconsin–Madison